Judging for fancy pigeons, Davos, and more from around the world
Moving, tragic, surprising, inspiring, terrifying, shocking... This is a selection of images from our planet, over the past seven days.
Judge David Muir inspects 'Rollers' during judging for the Fancy Pigeon category at the British Homing World Show of the Year at Blackpool Winter Gardens on January 17, 2026 in Blackpool, England. The British Homing World Show of the Year is the highlight event of the year for pigeon fanciers. Regularly attracting over 25,000 visitors, who come from all over the world to show their birds and take part in an historic community celebration. 2026 is the 50th year the show has been held at Blackpool and features over 200 trade stands, charity pigeon auctions and raffles, as well as the showing and judging of over 2,000 of the top homing and fancy pigeons in the UK. (Photo: Ian Forsyth/Getty Images)
Protesters clash with riot police using water cannons and tear gas after a rally against the World Economic Forum (WEF) and the visit of US President Donald Trump to Switzerland, in Zurich, Switzerland, 19 January 2026. The meeting under the topic 'A Spirit of Dialogue' brings together entrepreneurs, scientists, and corporate and political leaders in Davos and takes place from 19 to 23 January in Davos. EPA/MICHAEL BUHOLZER Blackhawk helicopters, part of the U.S. Marine Corps HMX presidential helicopter squadron, travels between Zurich and Davos on its way to the World Economic Forum on January 21, 2026 near Liechtenstein. The annual meeting of political and business leaders comes amid rising tensions between the United States and Europe over a range of issues, including U.S. President Trump's vow to acquire Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) US President Donald Trump walks out of the Marine One helicopter as he arrives for the 56th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, 21 January 2026. The meeting under the topic 'A Spirit of Dialogue' brings together entrepreneurs, scientists, and corporate and political leaders in Davos and takes place from 19 to 23 January in Davos. (Photo: EPA/MICHAEL BUHOLZER) US President Donald Trump during the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. The annual Davos gathering of political leaders, top executives and celebrities runs from Jan. 19-23. Photographer: Krisztian Bocsi/Bloomberg via Getty Images United States Homeland Security Advisor Stephen Miller gives a thumbs up as U.S. President Donald Trump arrives at Zurich Airport before attending the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, on January 21, 2026 in Zurich, Switzerland. The annual meeting of political and business leaders comes amid rising tensions between the United States and Europe over a range of issues, including Trump's vow to acquire Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Microsoft co-founder and US philanthropist Bill Gates attends a panel discussion during the 56th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, 21 January 2026. The meeting under the topic 'A Spirit of Dialogue' brings together entrepreneurs, scientists, and corporate and political leaders in Davos and takes place from 19 to 23 January in Davos. EPA/GIAN EHRENZELLER Emmanuel Macron, France's president, during the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. The annual Davos gathering of political leaders, top executives and celebrities runs from Jan. 19-23. Photographer: Krisztian Bocsi/Bloomberg via Getty Images US President Donald Trump gestures after his special address at the 56th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, 21 January 2026. The 2026 summit, running from 19 to 23 January and held under the theme 'A Spirit of Dialogue,' brings together global political leaders, corporate executives, and scientists to address international challenges. EPA/GIAN EHRENZELLER Delegates including (centre, L-R) CEO of Apple Tim Cook, President and CEO of NVIDIA Jensen Huang and President of the European Central Bank Christine Lagarde watch as U.S. President Donald Trump gives a speech at the World Economic Forum (WEF) on January 21, 2026 in Davos, Switzerland. The annual meeting of political and business leaders comes amid rising tensions between the United States and Europe over a range of issues, including Trump's vow to acquire Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) US musician Jon Batiste performs on stage during the opening concert of the 56th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, 19 January 2026. The meeting under the topic 'A Spirit of Dialogue' brings together entrepreneurs, scientists, and corporate and political leaders in Davos and takes place from 19 to 23 January in Davos. EPA/LAURENT GILLIERON Three men run in the sun along Lake Davos on the sidelines of the 56th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, 21 January 2026. The 2026 summit, running from 19 to 23 January and held under the theme 'A Spirit of Dialogue,' brings together global political leaders, corporate executives, and scientists to address international challenges. EPA/MICHAEL BUHOLZER Florida State Rep. Meg Weinberger (L) and U.S. President Donald Trump unveil a "President Donald J. Trump Boulevard" sign during a Road Dedication Ceremony at Mar-a-Lago on January 16, 2026 in Palm Beach, Florida. Florida State lawmakers approved the name change of a portion of Southern Boulevard to “President Donald J. Trump Boulevard.” (Photo: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) As the Washington Monument is seen in the background, a 10-foot-tall protest art installation, also referred to as the “The Epstein Birthday card,” is on display at the National Mall near the U.S. Capitol on January 20, 2026 in Washington, DC. The installation is a giant replica of an alleged “Happy Birthday to a terrific guy” message to Jeffrey Epstein from Donald Trump for Epstein’s 50th birthday on January 20 in 2003. (Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images) A supporter of Venezuelan Opposition Leader and Nobel Peace Prize Winner MarÌa Corina Machado waves the Venezuelan flag while chanting "libertad" on the East Front Plaza on Capitol Hill on January 15, 2026 in Washington, DC. Machado has called for Democratic Unitary Platform candidate Edmundo González, who is widely considered to be the winner of the 2024 election, to assume the presidency of Venezuela following the January 03, 2026 capture and arrest of Nicolas Maduro by the United States military. (Photo: Tom Brenner/Getty Images) A man walks by a series of posters memorializing Renee Good on January 16, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Protests have sparked up around the city after a federal agent fatally shot Good in her car during an incident in south Minneapolis on January 7. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images) People, including a man holding a placard that shows Greenland covered in an American flag, Xed out and that reads: Our Land, Not Yours", gather to march in protest against U.S. President Donald Trump and his announced intent to acquire Greenland on January 17, 2026 in Nuuk, Greenland. Greenlandic, Danish and other European leaders are hoping they can still avert an intervention by the United States to forcefully acquire the island as U.S. President Donald Trump continues to insist the U.S. must have Greenland, suggesting even by military means if necessary. (Photo: Sean Gallup/Getty Images) Mourners carry the bodies of three journalists through Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza Strip, 21 January 2026. The journalists were killed when an Israeli airstrike targeted their vehicle in the central Gaza Strip earlier in the day. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza, at least 11 people have been killed and six others injured in a series of Israeli attacks across the territory since this morning. EPA/HAITHAM IMAD A view of the crash site as emergency services continue their work on January 20, 2026 after a train collision in Adamuz, Spain. Authorities say at least 40 were killed and more than 150 were injured when a train collided with a derailed train on the evening of Sunday, Jan. 18. On Tuesday, Spain begins three days of mourning for victims of the accident. (Photo by Pablo Blazquez Dominguez/Getty Images) A view of the crash site as emergency services continue their work on January 20, 2026 after a train collision in Adamuz, Spain. Authorities say at least 40 were killed and more than 150 were injured when a train collided with a derailed train on the evening of Sunday, Jan. 18. On Tuesday, Spain begins three days of mourning for victims of the accident. (Photo by Pablo Blazquez Dominguez/Getty Images) A commuter train that derailed between Gelida and Sant Sadurni d'Anoia, Barcelona, Spain, 21 January 2026. The train driver has died and 37 passengers were injured, four of them seriously, after the train crashed into a collapsed retaining wall late 20 January. (Photo: EPA/QUIQUE GARCIA) Iranian pro-government supporters burn U.S. and Israeli flags during a Iranian pro-government rally held outside the Iranian consulate on January 18, 2026 in Istanbul, Turkey. Nationwide protests that arose in Iran in December in response to the country's economic crisis have seemingly ebbed following a violent crackdown by Iranian security forces. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images) People march during a protest in support of the Kurdish people on January 20, 2026 in Sulaymaniyah, Iraq. Sulaymaniyah is the second largest city in Iraqi Kurdistan, a semi-autonomous region in Iraq and bastion of a wider Kurdish community whose population extends into Iran, Turkey and Syria. In recent weeks, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces that were historically backed by the United States have been losing ground to Syrian government forces, sparking calls for international intervention from Kurds in Iraq and elsewhere. (Photo: Ethan Swope/Getty Images) A poster featuring the likeness of Renee Good hangs alongside pictures of other homicide victims near a memorial to Good on January 15, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Protests have sparked up around the area following the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an immigration enforcement agent during an incident in south Minneapolis on January 7. (Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images) Parents and relatives react with emotion at the scene where a scholar transport vehicle crashed on January 19, 2026 in Vanderbijlpark, South Africa. It is reported that thirteen pupils died after the private minibus taxi transporting them was struck by a truck, causing it to veer off the road. (Photo: Gallo Images/Sharon Seretlo) David Kramer, Alderman Geordin Hill-Lewis (Executive Mayor of Cape Town) and Jawaahier Petersen (Daughter of Taliep Petersen) at the first awarding of the Freedom of the City in Cape Town in almost a decade at City Hall on January 20, 2026 in Cape Town, South Africa. The Freedom of the City was awarded to Taliep Petersen (posthumously) and David Kramer, recognising their public service to Cape Town that is exceptionally meritorious or impactful, in any field of social, community or civic interest. (Photo: Gallo Images/ER Lombard) Campaigners gather outside of the Scottish Parliament in protests against the Guga Hunt on January 21, 2026 in Edinburgh, Scotland. Today the Petitions Committee meets to discuss a petition against the guga hunt, a centuries old practice carried out on the remote Scottish island of Sula Sgeir, where a group of men from Ness "harvest" young gannet chicks, known as "guga." Last year NatureScot granted the Men of Ness a license to harvest up to 500 birds, which they say is sustainable, while preserving the cultural significance of the hunt. Campaigners have demanded an end to the practice, calling it "blood sport," and citing declining seabird numbers, which have been devastated by avian influenza in recent years. (Photo: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images) Revellers in costume gather around a fire during the Vevcani Carnival on January 14, 2026 in Vevcani, North Macedonia. The Vevcani Carnival, a unique blend of ancient pagan rituals and modern satire, is an annual event held to mark the Orthodox New Year (St. Basil's Day). The tradition began over 1,400 years ago and sees the entire village transform into an open-air theatre, attracting thousands of visitors. Masks are worn and include devils, demons, and the main characters of the Groom and Bride. One of the key rituals is the "bride and groom" going door-to-door, traditional music played on zurna (double-reed woodwind instruments) and drums, and the final burning of the masks, which symbolises the destruction of evil spirits and the end of the old year. (Photo: Jack Taylor/Getty Images) Kurdish Peshmerga fighters affiliated with PAK train with fire hazards on January 18, 2026 near Erbil, Iraq. A spokesman for the National Army of Kurdistan, the armed wing of the Kurdistan Freedom Party, or PAK, based in Iraq, says the group "played a role in the protests through both financial support and armed operations to defend protesters when needed," and launched attacks on Iran's Revolutionary Guard in recent days in retaliation for their violent crackdown. (Photo: Ethan Swope/Getty Images) A decorated draft ox and its handler leap over haystacks set on fire as part of the Kicchu Haisodu ritual on January 15, 2026 in Siddalingapura village, on the outskirts of Mysuru, India. The Kicchu Haisodu ritual is practiced in rural areas of the southern state of Karnataka as part of celebrations marking Makara Sankranti, the mid-winter harvest festival. (Photo: Abhishek Chinnappa/Getty Images) A man pours ice cold water over himself during the Ice Water Purification Ceremony at Kanda Myojin Shrine on January 17, 2026 in Tokyo, Japan. Kanda Myojin Shrine is located near several business districts in Tokyo. The Ice water ritual is held to purify the mind and body for the year ahead. (Photo: Takashi Aoyama/Getty Images) Coco Gauff of the United States serves against Olga Danilovic of Serbia in the Women's Singles Second Round during day four of the 2026 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 21, 2026 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images). DM
/file/attachments/2987/13659267_755062.jpg "Protesters clash with riot police using water cannons and tear gas after a rally against the World Economic Forum (WEF) and the visit of US President Donald Trump to Switzerland, in Zurich, Switzerland, 19 January 2026. The meeting under the topic 'A Spirit of Dialogue' brings together entrepreneurs, scientists, and corporate and political leaders in Davos and takes place from 19 to 23 January in Davos. EPA/MICHAEL BUHOLZER")
/file/attachments/2987/GettyImages-2257459295_231452.jpg "Blackhawk helicopters, part of the U.S. Marine Corps HMX presidential helicopter squadron, travels between Zurich and Davos on its way to the World Economic Forum on January 21, 2026 near Liechtenstein. The annual meeting of political and business leaders comes amid rising tensions between the United States and Europe over a range of issues, including U.S. President Trump's vow to acquire Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)")
/file/attachments/orphans/13665049_183109.jpg "US President Donald Trump walks out of the Marine One helicopter as he arrives for the 56th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, 21 January 2026. The meeting under the topic 'A Spirit of Dialogue' brings together entrepreneurs, scientists, and corporate and political leaders in Davos and takes place from 19 to 23 January in Davos. (Photo: EPA/MICHAEL BUHOLZER)")
/file/attachments/2987/GettyImages-2256840810_871975.jpg "US President Donald Trump during the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. The annual Davos gathering of political leaders, top executives and celebrities runs from Jan. 19-23. Photographer: Krisztian Bocsi/Bloomberg via Getty Images")
/file/attachments/2987/GettyImages-2257392557_140812.jpg "United States Homeland Security Advisor Stephen Miller gives a thumbs up as U.S. President Donald Trump arrives at Zurich Airport before attending the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, on January 21, 2026 in Zurich, Switzerland. The annual meeting of political and business leaders comes amid rising tensions between the United States and Europe over a range of issues, including Trump's vow to acquire Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)")
/file/attachments/2987/13664480_786349.jpg "Microsoft co-founder and US philanthropist Bill Gates attends a panel discussion during the 56th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, 21 January 2026. The meeting under the topic 'A Spirit of Dialogue' brings together entrepreneurs, scientists, and corporate and political leaders in Davos and takes place from 19 to 23 January in Davos. EPA/GIAN EHRENZELLER")
/file/attachments/2987/GettyImages-2256666897_591028.jpg "Emmanuel Macron, France's president, during the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. The annual Davos gathering of political leaders, top executives and celebrities runs from Jan. 19-23. Photographer: Krisztian Bocsi/Bloomberg via Getty Images")
/file/attachments/2987/13665410_906651.jpg "US President Donald Trump gestures after his special address at the 56th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, 21 January 2026. The 2026 summit, running from 19 to 23 January and held under the theme 'A Spirit of Dialogue,' brings together global political leaders, corporate executives, and scientists to address international challenges. EPA/GIAN EHRENZELLER")
/file/attachments/2987/GettyImages-2257413141_319930.jpg "Delegates including (centre, L-R) CEO of Apple Tim Cook, President and CEO of NVIDIA Jensen Huang and President of the European Central Bank Christine Lagarde watch as U.S. President Donald Trump gives a speech at the World Economic Forum (WEF) on January 21, 2026 in Davos, Switzerland. The annual meeting of political and business leaders comes amid rising tensions between the United States and Europe over a range of issues, including Trump's vow to acquire Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)")
/file/attachments/2987/13658781_695620.jpg "US musician Jon Batiste performs on stage during the opening concert of the 56th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, 19 January 2026. The meeting under the topic 'A Spirit of Dialogue' brings together entrepreneurs, scientists, and corporate and political leaders in Davos and takes place from 19 to 23 January in Davos. EPA/LAURENT GILLIERON")
/file/attachments/2987/13665480_836814.jpg "Three men run in the sun along Lake Davos on the sidelines of the 56th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, 21 January 2026. The 2026 summit, running from 19 to 23 January and held under the theme 'A Spirit of Dialogue,' brings together global political leaders, corporate executives, and scientists to address international challenges. EPA/MICHAEL BUHOLZER")
/file/attachments/orphans/GettyImages-2256649327_875247.jpg "Florida State Rep. Meg Weinberger (L) and U.S. President Donald Trump unveil a \"President Donald J. Trump Boulevard\" sign during a Road Dedication Ceremony at Mar-a-Lago on January 16, 2026 in Palm Beach, Florida. Florida State lawmakers approved the name change of a portion of Southern Boulevard to “President Donald J. Trump Boulevard.” (Photo: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)")
/file/attachments/orphans/GettyImages-2257256834_293953.jpg "As the Washington Monument is seen in the background, a 10-foot-tall protest art installation, also referred to as the “The Epstein Birthday card,” is on display at the National Mall near the U.S. Capitol on January 20, 2026 in Washington, DC. The installation is a giant replica of an alleged “Happy Birthday to a terrific guy” message to Jeffrey Epstein from Donald Trump for Epstein’s 50th birthday on January 20 in 2003. (Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images)")
/file/attachments/2987/GettyImages-2255817431_546743.jpg "A supporter of Venezuelan Opposition Leader and Nobel Peace Prize Winner MarÌa Corina Machado waves the Venezuelan flag while chanting \"libertad\" on the East Front Plaza on Capitol Hill on January 15, 2026 in Washington, DC. Machado has called for Democratic Unitary Platform candidate Edmundo González, who is widely considered to be the winner of the 2024 election, to assume the presidency of Venezuela following the January 03, 2026 capture and arrest of Nicolas Maduro by the United States military. (Photo: Tom Brenner/Getty Images)")
/file/attachments/2987/GettyImages-2256680099_451552.jpg "A man walks by a series of posters memorializing Renee Good on January 16, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Protests have sparked up around the city after a federal agent fatally shot Good in her car during an incident in south Minneapolis on January 7. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)")
/file/attachments/orphans/GettyImages-2256771607_975283.jpg "People, including a man holding a placard that shows Greenland covered in an American flag, Xed out and that reads: Our Land, Not Yours\", gather to march in protest against U.S. President Donald Trump and his announced intent to acquire Greenland on January 17, 2026 in Nuuk, Greenland. Greenlandic, Danish and other European leaders are hoping they can still avert an intervention by the United States to forcefully acquire the island as U.S. President Donald Trump continues to insist the U.S. must have Greenland, suggesting even by military means if necessary. (Photo: Sean Gallup/Getty Images)")
/file/attachments/2987/13666438_155655.jpg "Mourners carry the bodies of three journalists through Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza Strip, 21 January 2026. The journalists were killed when an Israeli airstrike targeted their vehicle in the central Gaza Strip earlier in the day. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza, at least 11 people have been killed and six others injured in a series of Israeli attacks across the territory since this morning. EPA/HAITHAM IMAD")
/file/attachments/2987/GettyImages-2257260993_752200.jpg "A view of the crash site as emergency services continue their work on January 20, 2026 after a train collision in Adamuz, Spain. Authorities say at least 40 were killed and more than 150 were injured when a train collided with a derailed train on the evening of Sunday, Jan. 18. On Tuesday, Spain begins three days of mourning for victims of the accident. (Photo by Pablo Blazquez Dominguez/Getty Images)")
/file/attachments/2987/GettyImages-2256652334_811081.jpg "A view of the crash site as emergency services continue their work on January 20, 2026 after a train collision in Adamuz, Spain. Authorities say at least 40 were killed and more than 150 were injured when a train collided with a derailed train on the evening of Sunday, Jan. 18. On Tuesday, Spain begins three days of mourning for victims of the accident. (Photo by Pablo Blazquez Dominguez/Getty Images)")
/file/attachments/orphans/13664166_371464.jpg "A commuter train that derailed between Gelida and Sant Sadurni d'Anoia, Barcelona, Spain, 21 January 2026. The train driver has died and 37 passengers were injured, four of them seriously, after the train crashed into a collapsed retaining wall late 20 January. (Photo: EPA/QUIQUE GARCIA)")
/file/attachments/2987/GettyImages-2256901603_454484.jpg "Iranian pro-government supporters burn U.S. and Israeli flags during a Iranian pro-government rally held outside the Iranian consulate on January 18, 2026 in Istanbul, Turkey. Nationwide protests that arose in Iran in December in response to the country's economic crisis have seemingly ebbed following a violent crackdown by Iranian security forces. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)")
/file/attachments/orphans/GettyImages-2256675608_941609.jpg "People march during a protest in support of the Kurdish people on January 20, 2026 in Sulaymaniyah, Iraq. Sulaymaniyah is the second largest city in Iraqi Kurdistan, a semi-autonomous region in Iraq and bastion of a wider Kurdish community whose population extends into Iran, Turkey and Syria. In recent weeks, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces that were historically backed by the United States have been losing ground to Syrian government forces, sparking calls for international intervention from Kurds in Iraq and elsewhere. (Photo: Ethan Swope/Getty Images)")
/file/attachments/orphans/GettyImages-2256505916_157967.jpg "A poster featuring the likeness of Renee Good hangs alongside pictures of other homicide victims near a memorial to Good on January 15, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Protests have sparked up around the area following the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an immigration enforcement agent during an incident in south Minneapolis on January 7. (Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images)")
/file/attachments/orphans/ED_592873_839091.jpg "Parents and relatives react with emotion at the scene where a scholar transport vehicle crashed on January 19, 2026 in Vanderbijlpark, South Africa. It is reported that thirteen pupils died after the private minibus taxi transporting them was struck by a truck, causing it to veer off the road. (Photo: Gallo Images/Sharon Seretlo)")
/file/attachments/orphans/ED_593046_496490.jpg "David Kramer, Alderman Geordin Hill-Lewis (Executive Mayor of Cape Town) and Jawaahier Petersen (Daughter of Taliep Petersen) at the first awarding of the Freedom of the City in Cape Town in almost a decade at City Hall on January 20, 2026 in Cape Town, South Africa. The Freedom of the City was awarded to Taliep Petersen (posthumously) and David Kramer, recognising their public service to Cape Town that is exceptionally meritorious or impactful, in any field of social, community or civic interest. (Photo: Gallo Images/ER Lombard)")
/file/attachments/orphans/GettyImages-2257364938_645450.jpg "Campaigners gather outside of the Scottish Parliament in protests against the Guga Hunt on January 21, 2026 in Edinburgh, Scotland. Today the Petitions Committee meets to discuss a petition against the guga hunt, a centuries old practice carried out on the remote Scottish island of Sula Sgeir, where a group of men from Ness \"harvest\" young gannet chicks, known as \"guga.\" Last year NatureScot granted the Men of Ness a license to harvest up to 500 birds, which they say is sustainable, while preserving the cultural significance of the hunt. Campaigners have demanded an end to the practice, calling it \"blood sport,\" and citing declining seabird numbers, which have been devastated by avian influenza in recent years. (Photo: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)")
/file/attachments/orphans/GettyImages-2255654368_111894.jpg "Revellers in costume gather around a fire during the Vevcani Carnival on January 14, 2026 in Vevcani, North Macedonia. The Vevcani Carnival, a unique blend of ancient pagan rituals and modern satire, is an annual event held to mark the Orthodox New Year (St. Basil's Day). The tradition began over 1,400 years ago and sees the entire village transform into an open-air theatre, attracting thousands of visitors. Masks are worn and include devils, demons, and the main characters of the Groom and Bride. One of the key rituals is the \"bride and groom\" going door-to-door, traditional music played on zurna (double-reed woodwind instruments) and drums, and the final burning of the masks, which symbolises the destruction of evil spirits and the end of the old year. (Photo: Jack Taylor/Getty Images)")
/file/attachments/orphans/GettyImages-2256341874_505406.jpg "Kurdish Peshmerga fighters affiliated with PAK train with fire hazards on January 18, 2026 near Erbil, Iraq. A spokesman for the National Army of Kurdistan, the armed wing of the Kurdistan Freedom Party, or PAK, based in Iraq, says the group \"played a role in the protests through both financial support and armed operations to defend protesters when needed,\" and launched attacks on Iran's Revolutionary Guard in recent days in retaliation for their violent crackdown. (Photo: Ethan Swope/Getty Images)")
/file/attachments/orphans/GettyImages-2256448729_716520.jpg "A decorated draft ox and its handler leap over haystacks set on fire as part of the Kicchu Haisodu ritual on January 15, 2026 in Siddalingapura village, on the outskirts of Mysuru, India. The Kicchu Haisodu ritual is practiced in rural areas of the southern state of Karnataka as part of celebrations marking Makara Sankranti, the mid-winter harvest festival. (Photo: Abhishek Chinnappa/Getty Images)")
/file/attachments/orphans/GettyImages-2256679787_477457.jpg "A man pours ice cold water over himself during the Ice Water Purification Ceremony at Kanda Myojin Shrine on January 17, 2026 in Tokyo, Japan. Kanda Myojin Shrine is located near several business districts in Tokyo. The Ice water ritual is held to purify the mind and body for the year ahead. (Photo: Takashi Aoyama/Getty Images)")
/file/attachments/orphans/GettyImages-2257322775_781691.jpg "Coco Gauff of the United States serves against Olga Danilovic of Serbia in the Women's Singles Second Round during day four of the 2026 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 21, 2026 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images). DM")
Judge David Muir inspects 'Rollers' during judging for the Fancy Pigeon category at the British Homing World Show of the Year at Blackpool Winter Gardens on January 17, 2026 in Blackpool, England. The British Homing World Show of the Year is the highlight event of the year for pigeon fanciers. Regularly attracting over 25,000 visitors, who come from all over the world to show their birds and take part in an historic community celebration. 2026 is the 50th year the show has been held at Blackpool and features over 200 trade stands, charity pigeon auctions and raffles, as well as the showing and judging of over 2,000 of the top homing and fancy pigeons in the UK. (Photo: Ian Forsyth/Getty Images)